Chapter 68 Unrelaxed

“Do you know what filial piety is?” Old Lady said while rolling her eyes.

Gu Qiang lowered her head and answered respectfully, “Grandma, blind piety is not good. Maybe you think filial piety means we must do everything carefully as told. Then how boring life will be. It seems safe to repeat the same road but uninteresting.”

Gu Qiang said in a low voice which could only be heard by herself and Old Lady. The old woman was experienced. She was sulky and shocked by the way Gu Qiang talked, but she didn’t show that and just stared at Gu Qiang’s eyes.

“Qiang, you have to reflect on your misdeed. Don’t think we can do nothing with you as an infanta. I will teach you a lesson someday.” Old Lady said.

Someday? Gu Qiang raised her eyebrows. Old Lady thought she would survive tomorrow, but Gu Qiang was sure that she was near her end.

“Yes, grandma. But you look pale recently. Is it because you’ve had too much nutritious food? Not all nutritious food is good for health. Please be careful.” Then Gu Qiang turned around coldly and sat down next to Gu Huaian. Old Lady fixed her eyes on Gu Qiang.

She was itching to tear Gu Qiang with her eyes. Granny Zhang stepped out from her back and asked in a low voice, “Madam, does the infanta mean…there is something wrong with your food?”

Old Lady calmed down and thought carefully. Gu Qiang’s expression showed that she knew something secret, but what did she know? The girl had always stayed in the Prime Minister Mansion since she was born. She had no chance to learn medicine. But she implied that Old Lady had eaten too much nutritious food.

After eating the nutritious food given by Ye, Old Lady felt good and even much better than before.

“Granny Zhang, how do I look?” Old Lady asked quietly.

Granny Zhang swallowed saliva, rubbed her hands nervously, and then said, “I think you look well. The weather is unfavorable recently, so it is normal to feel tired…”

How could Granny Zhang answer this question? Old Lady looked extremely pale just like a dying person. She might die anytime.

Granny Zhang was humble, and she didn’t want to say something rashly at the cost of her life.

Old Lady smiled slowly, and the cold smile spread on her face. She tapped her fingers on the table and said finally, “Tell me the truth.”

Granny Zhang kneeled on the ground at once and murmured nervously, “Not well, and much worse than before.”

Old Lady clenched her fists together. Her old knuckles looked white, and her body trembled slightly. After a long time, she ordered, “Look into the nutritious food given by Ye!”

Granny Zhang moved away quickly, and she was still suffering from the fright. It was not a good task. If Ye knew it, Granny Zhang herself might be dangerous.

After Gu Qiang sat down, Gu Huaian asked, “Did grandma preach at you?”

He looked at Gu Qiang with love and pity. He felt excited that she became an infanta. He didn’t have to come here because he didn’t want to put her on the spot.

Gu Huaian only hoped that Gu Qiang could live a happy life. That was enough for him. When Gu Qiang sent Gusu Liang to invite him, he hesitated for a long time. He was clear that if he came here, Gu Qiang would be caught in a dilemma. If he didn’t, Gu Qiang would be upset, which would make him feel terrible.

Just as he expected, Gu Qiang invited him under great pressure.

“Don’t take what they said seriously. I invite you here to tell them if they don’t accept you as one of the family, they shouldn’t take advantage of you. Song Yun did nothing wrong. I just hate that Ye arranges your marriage even when you are not one of Gu Family anymore.” Gu Qiang said slowly, firmly, and calmly.

Gu Huaian turned around and looked at Gu Qiang with soft eyes. As a man, he got a sense of safety from his sister.

Gu Qiang had grown up and was thoughtful about everything. Gu Huaian thought it was not so worrying to leave her in the Prime Minister Mansion and she could live a good life here alone.

“Don’t worry about my marriage. I am free to choose my wife and will marry who I like.” Gu Huaian sipped his tea. Then he spat it out suddenly and told Gu Qiang, “The Prime Minister Mansion is nothing noble. Can the tea be used to serve guests? Send someone to my house for superb tea tomorrow. You can have a taste.”

“OK, great.” Gu Qiang responded.

Gu Qiang and her brother sat there, talking happily. Princess Changning said to Shen Zhongbai, “Now that you’ve spared your time to come here, why don’t you go to see your concubine?”

Shen Zhongbai’s concubine mentioned by Princess Changning was Gu Zhihua, who was dressed up and sitting behind Gu Qiang. She selected the clothes carefully with Ye to seduce Shen Zhongbai, hoping he could reconsider her future status. So long as the status could be promoted, Gu Zhihua would be satisfied.

Gu Zhihua gazed at Shen Zhongbai and never took her eyes off him. But he evaded her gaze purposely and looked at Gu Qiang casually.

“Why? She is simple-minded and not scrupulous, so she isn’t worth my time.” Shen Zhongbai responded coldly. Then he withdrew his eyes to stare at the plate in front of him.

Indeed, that girl was rash. Princess Changning recalled Gu Zhihua’s fancy clothes with a peacock pattern at the flower party. She still remembered the embroidery details clearly.

Princess Changning smiled and said, “How heartless you are! I can see that Gu Zhihua loves you deeply and probably wants to marry no one else but you.”

“So what? She only wants to marry me, but I have more choices.” Shen Zhongbai said casually.

“I know you don’t take relationships seriously, but His Majesty has given an order about it. You can’t delay it forever. Why not marry her early so that her dream can come true? I find her eyes are fixed on you. I’m afraid few girls can love you so deeply.” Then Princess Changning turned around to look at Gu Zhihua. The girl was dressed properly today, but the expensive material and style of her clothes seemed to steal the show in contrast to Gu Qiang.

Princess Changning didn’t like Gu Zhihua from the beginning. Her clothes that didn’t suit the occasion made Princess Changning more convinced that she wasn’t a good candidate for the position of a princess.

Princess Changning cast her eyes to Gu Qiang who was in light clothes and sitting next to her brother quietly.

She was as simple and elegant as a chrysanthemum in autumn. Even though she sat there still, the air around her had the faint scent of a chrysanthemum.

Princess Changning withdrew her eyes. She indeed wanted to draw Gu Qiang over to her side, but love couldn’t be controlled by her. If she could achieve her wish, how could he die?

Her eyes gleamed and were a little dry. The man smiling happily in the sun in the peacock garden would not come back ever.

Princess Changning felt sad suddenly. She stood up and said with a pale face, “I’m not well and want to take a rest. Stay here and behave yourself.”

Then she walked towards the guest room in the back yard with her servants.

Shen Zhongbai raised his eyebrows. It seemed that he was not surprised by the departure of Princess Changning. The princess was always reluctant to talk about love. It was unknown what made her so sad.

After the party, Gu Qiang saw Gu Huaian off at the gate and said with a smile, “Brother, do remember what I told you. Always be careful. If there is something wrong, tell me at once.”

Gu Huaian stretched out his hand to stroke Gu Qiang’s head and responded, “Got it. Take care of yourself. If you are not happy in the family, tell me and I can afford to keep you.”

Gu Qiang was clear about her brother’s wealth, but she needed the title of the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister Mansion instead of money.

This was the only benefit that she could get from the Prime Minister Mansion. As for family love, it was the least valuable thing here.

Back to the yard, when Gu Qiang was about to sit down, Gusu Liang entered. She looked embarrassed and spoke with hesitation, “My Lady, the Third Prince invites you to walk around.”

Gu Qiang put her flower on the table, turned around, and said coldly, “Tell him that I’m not well and will take a rest.”

Before Gusu Liang responded, someone from the yard was heard. The voice was clear and mixed with a smile. The speaker seemed to be in a good mood.

“You look fine. Is it because you don’t want to walk around with me?”

She was so familiar with the voice. It was Shen Zhongbai. She never thought he would come here following her. She was sulky, but she couldn’t show that on her face. Therefore, she went over to greet him, saluted smilingly, and said, “Your Highness, my humble house is honored by your presence. But I’m sorry. I can’t visit the garden with you.”